Electrical toggle switch



United States Patent 3,300,605 ELECTRICAL TOGGLE SWITCH Robert E. V.Ramsing, Whittier, and Francis K. Bourhenne, Lawndale, Calif., assignorsto Sierra Electric Corporation, Gardena, Califl, a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 413,127

Claims. (Cl. 20067) This invention has to do with improvements inelectrical switches and has for its general object to provide a noveltoggle or over-center type switch characterized by its extremesimplicity, economy in manufacture, and assured performance in extendedservice.

At the outset it may be mentioned that the invention is applicable toany of various specific switches as distinguished by their polarities,such as single pole, double pole, 3-way and 4-way switches, allembodying the essential novelty of the invention but differing in suchcharacteristics as bussing and contact duplication arrangements. Asillustrative, the invention will be described specifically withreference to a 3-way-type switch.

In common with prior art switches, the invention contemplates thegeneral combination of a swingable contact element actuable byoscillation of an over-center or toggle type relation with a spring andpivoted or oscillatory lever. The invention however departs from theconventional or prior switches of which I am aware, in its embodiment ofa novel oscillatory mounting for the contact and the inner position andassociation of the mounting with a simple form of an essentiallyleaf-type spring.

Specifically, the invention contemplates providing within an insulativebody and apertured cover, the combination of a leaf-type springassociated with the body and in opposed spaced relation to anoscillatory lug or projection on the lever. A simple and effectiveactuator mounting for a movable contact arm is provided by interposingbetween the spring and lever projection a simple conductive piecepreferably of a blade-like configuration which is retained by the springpressure in edge engagement with the spring and lever projection, in amanner such that in response to the lever actuation, the blade elementoscillates against the spring and in so doing swings the contacting armwithin predetermined limits as for example defined by the engagement ofan arm terminal contact with spaced fixed contacts inside the switch.

In a preferred, though illustrative aspect, the invention contemplatesthe association of the indicated oscillatory contact arm mounting withan actuating lever presenting beyond a mounting strap or support, anangular plate-like configuration extending oppositely beyond the centerof the lever oscillation.

All the various features and objects of the invention will be more fullyunderstood from the following detailed description of an illustrativeembodiment shown by the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation as viewed from the outside of the mounted switchand showing the toggle lever within a wall plate;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken on line 22 of FIG.1 and showing the switch interior and associated mounting means;

FIG. 3 is a cross section on line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the switch parts in changedpositions.

Referring to the drawings, the switch proper, generally indicated at 10,is shown to comprise an insulative body having a separable cover 12retained between the body and a mounting strap 13 by screws 14countersunk into the body and extending through the cover to threadedaccommodation within the strap, as illustrated. As mounted to a wall 15,the strap 13 may be accommodated ir61d retained within a wall plate 16by mounting screws The switch preferably employs an actuator pivoted tothe cover at 17 and having the form of a plate 18, the angularextensions 18a of which have clearances at 19 to permit oscillations ofthe lever between its limits of contact with fiber or other non-metallicstops 20 carried by the strap 13. The lever has a central projection 21extending inwardly through the cover opening 21a with adequate clearancefor oscillation between the FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 positions.

The inside face 22 of the body contains a groove 23 into the ends ofwhich are inserted the bent terminals 24 of a leaf spring 25 whichengages a flat conductor 26 having within recesses 27 in the side of thebody a terminal 28 mounting a circuit wire binding screw 29. Betweenconductor 26 and its terminal 25a, the spring is spaced at 30' from thebody for flexure as will now appear.

Interposed between the spring 30 and the lever projection 21 is a plateor blade-like conductor piece 31 extending transversely of the springwithits edges retained within the spring recess 32 lever recess 33, thepositions of these recesses longitudinally of the spring being sorelated that between its FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 positions, the blade isdisposed in opposite angular relation to a line or plane passing throughthe center of pivot 17 and the fulcrum line of the blade engagement andoscillation within the spring recess 32. Thus as the lever 18 isactuated between the FIG. 2 and FIG. 4 positions, the blade 31 isoscillated in over-center relation to the aforementioned plane againstthe resistance of spring 25, which is flexed to accommodate theover-center blade travel and which yieldingly retains the blade in itstwo over-center positions.

The blade 31 carries a conductive arm 34 having contact terminals 35 and36 engageable respectively with stationary contacts 37 and 38. Contact37 is carried by conductor 39 having a bent extension 40 within the bodygrooves 41 and carrying a circuit wire binding screw 42, terminal 38similarly being carried by conductor 43 having an outside extent 44mounting the binding screw 45.

In operation, when lever 18 is swung from the FIG. 2 to the FIG. 4position, the blade or plate 31 is correspond ingly oscillated againstthe resistance of spring 25 to interengage contacts 35 and 37, whichcontact is maintained by the sustained spring thrust against the blade.Reversely, when returned to the FIG. 2 position, the lever 18 oscillatesthe blade 31 the resistor interengagement of contacts 36 and 38,maintained, as before, by the sustained spring thrust.

As will be apparent to those familiar with the art, the essentialrelation between the switch parts comprising the spring 30, plate orblade 31, lever projection, and contact arm 34, may be embodied inswitches of various designs, including switches employing plural arms 34and correspondingly plural springs 30 with associated blades 31, as forexample in double pole or 4-way switch assemblies.

We claim:

1. An electrical switch comprising an insulative body and cover, aconductor leaf spring within and terminally supported by the body, anactuating lever extending through the cover and having an oscillatoryprojection in opposed spaced relation to said spring, a conductivefulcrum piece interposed between said projection and spring and urged bythe spring tension against the projection so that said piece oscillateson the spring in response to oscillations of the lever projection, astationary contact, and a conductive arm carried by said fulcrum pieceand having a terminal contact movable into and out of engagement withsaid stationary contact by oscillation of said arm with the fulcrumpiece, said fulcrum piece being accommodated for oscillation withinrecesses in the spring and lever projection, the fulcrum piece beingessentially blade-shaped and extending transversely of the spring inedge engagement therewith and with the lever projection.

2. A switch according to claim 1, in which said arm extends outwardly ofsaid blade-shaped piece from between its edges.

3. An electrical switch comprising an insulative body and cover, aconductor leaf spring within the terminally supported by the body, anactuating lever extending through the cover and having an oscillatoryprojection in opposed spaced relation to said spring, a conductivefulcrum piece interposed between said projection and spring and urged bythe spring tension against the projection so that said piece oscillateson the spring in response to oscillations of the lever projection, astationary contact, and a conductive arm carried by said fulcrum pieceand having a terminal contact movable into and out of engagement withsaid stationary contact by oscillation of said arm with the fulcrumpiece, said spring being spaced from and having terminals bearingagainst the body to permit flexure of the spring intermediate saidterminals, and said fulcrum piece being essentially bladeshaped andextending transversely of the spring with the edges of saidpiece-received within recesses in the spring and lever projection, saidarm extending outwardly of said piece from between said edges thereof.

4. A switch according to claim 3, in which the body contains a secondstationary contact, said first and second contacts being alternatelyengageable by the arm terminal contact in response to oscillations ofsaid lever.

5. A switch according to claim 4, in which said lever has an outeressentially plate-like face overlying the cover and extending oppositelybeyond said lever projection.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,749,400 6/ 1956Chichester ZOO-67 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,181,443 1 6/1959 France.

ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

H. HOHAUSER, Assistant Examiner.

1. AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH COMPRISING AN INSULATIVE BODY AND COVER, ACONDUCTOR LEAF SPRING WITHIN AND TERMINALLY SUPPORTED BY THE BODY, ANACTUATING LEVER EXTENDING THROUGH THE COVER AND HAVING AN OSCILLATORYPROJECTION IN OPPOSED SPACED RELATION TO SAID SPRING, A CONDUCTIVEFULCRUM PIECE INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID PROJECTION AND SPRING AND URGED BYTHE SPRING TENSION AGAINST THE PROJECTIN SO THAT SAID PIECE OSCILLATESON THE SPRING IN RESPONSE TO OSCILLATIONS OF THE LEVER PROJECTION, ASTATIONARY CONTACT, AND A CONDUCTIVE ARM CARRIED BY SAID FULCRUM PIECEAND HAVING A TERMINAL CONTACT MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITHSAID STATIONARY CONTACT BY OSCILLATION OF SAID ARM WITH THE FULCRUMPIECE, SAID FULCRUM PIECE BEING ACCOMMODATED FOR OSCILLATION WITHINRECESSES IN THE SPRING AND LEVER PROJECTION, THE FULCRUM PIECE BEINGESSENTIALLY BLADE-SHAPED AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE SPRING INEDGE ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH AND WITH THE LEVER PROJECTION.